Welcome to the 2021 Youth Business Summit

This year’s Summit—a dynamic week of business competitions, leadership activities, a global innovation challenge, and an international trade show—will bring thousands of budding entrepreneurs from across the U.S. and around the world together with educators and business partners for a one-of-a-kind global business convention. Each event is designed as an opportunity for VE students to showcase the professional skills and business acumen they have developed by launching and running a Virtual Enterprise company—no small feat given the challenges of remote learning this year. Yet, in spite of these challenges, VE students continue to demonstrate incredible resilience, determination, and a “can-do” spirit, which has been an inspiration to us all. With many schools still operating remotely, this year’s YBS will once again take place online. We have created many exciting events, and hope you will participate in some of the many sessions and activities described below.

To all 2021 YBS participants, we wish you an unforgettable week of entrepreneurship and business experiences in action! We are hopeful that these experiences can be the inspiration that moves you forward towards a fulfilling and financially secure future. That future begins now!

Nick Chapman
President

Events

View Events as a Calendar Here

National Business Plan Competition

National Business Plan Competition

The NBPC showcases some of the best and brightest student leaders and budding entrepreneurs in the country. Teams representing 41 VE companies from around the country will have their written business plans and oral presentations judged by industry professionals. After receiving top honors in local and regional business plan competitions during the school year, these teams have earned the chance to compete in the country’s premiere team-based national business plan competition.

For more information about the finalists, visit the National Business Plan Competition page linked above.

For more instructions for the competition, visit the 2020-21 National Business Plan Competition Guidelines page.

NBPC Preliminary Rounds (top 41 teams)

Monday, April 12, 2021

    • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT / 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM PT (Block 1)
    • 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT / 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT (Block 2)
    • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT (Block 3)

NBPC Semifinal Rounds (top 20 teams)

Monday, April 19, 2021

    • 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT / 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT (Block 1)
    • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT (Block 2)

NBPC Championship Round (top 8 teams)

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

    • 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM CT / 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM PT
      – 1 hour break at 12:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM CT / 9:00 AM PT

National Competitions (HR, MRK, FIN, QBO)

National Competitions

For more information about the finalists, visit the National Competitions page linked above.

Human Resources | Marketing | Finance | QuickBooks

National Human Resources Competition

Teams of HR employees from VE companies will deliver oral presentations to inform judges of their HR policies and practices as they relate to the employee handbook, company communications, employee evaluations, and employee recognition.

Preliminary Round (top 30 teams)

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

    • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT (Block 1)

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

    • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT / 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM PT (Block 2)

Final Round (top 6 teams)

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    • 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PT

National Marketing Competition

Teams of Marketing employees from VE companies will deliver oral presentations to inform judges of their marketing plans and operations as they relate to the company pitch or problem they are solving, target market and segmentation, marketing plan, marketing results, and learning outcomes.

Preliminary Round (top 30 teams)

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

    • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT / 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM PT (Block 1)
    • 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT / 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT (Block 2)

Final Round (top 6 teams)

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    • 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM CT / 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM PT

National Finance Competition

Teams of Accounting & Finance employees from VE companies will deliver an oral presentation to a panel of judges addressing the company’s financial highlights, financial statements, and internal controls.

Preliminary Round (top 30 teams)

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

    • 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT / 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT (Block 1)
    • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT (Block 2)

Final Round (top 6 teams)

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    • 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM CT / 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM PT

National QuickBooks Competition

Teams of Accounting & Finance employees from VE companies will deliver oral presentations addressing their most recent quarterly results and providing responses to specific scenarios based on their implementation and use of QuickBooks Online software.

Preliminary Round (top 20 teams)

Thursday, April 15, 2021

    • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT / 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM PT (Block 1)
    • 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT / 9:00 PM – 11:00 AM PT (Block 2)

Final Round (top 6 teams)

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    • 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PT

VE Executive Conference: Livestreamed

VE Executive Conference

The VE Executive Conference is an opportunity for VE student-executives to interact and engage with business professionals through a dynamic panel discussion and breakout mentor sessions. The program will consist of an executive panel discussion between C-suite executives and VE student CEO’s. Following the panel discussion, participating students will be matched with business executives for small group breakout discussions.

For more information about the event and the livestream, visit the VE Executive Conference page linked above.

Panelists

Michael Roberts
President and Chief Executive Officer, HSBC USA

Lara Hood Balazs
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, & General Manager of Strategic Partner Group, Intuit

Charles Best
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, DonorsChoose

Schedule

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    • 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM ET: Welcome and Opening Remarks
    • 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM ET: Executive Panel Discussion
    • 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM ET: Small Group Breakout Discussions with Mentors
    • 12:45 PM – 1:00 PM ET: Breakout Discussion Debrief and Closing

Global Innovation Challenge: Championships Livestreamed

Global Innovation Challenge

The Global Innovation Challenge is one of the world’s most unique business-related events for high school students. Students representing different countries work in multinational teams to solve a pressing global issue using design thinking principles.

In preparation of the Global Innovation Challenge, multinational teams of students will meet and collaborate online during February, March, and April. Students will work with mentors who will coach them on strategies to address the problem and develop a slide show, which will be presented to judges at the final, livestreamed event in April 2021.

For more information about the event and the livestream, visit the Global Innovation Challenge page linked above.

Moderator

Helen Avery
Director, UK Green Finance Institute

Judges

Sean Kinghorn
Global Sustainability Leader, Intuit

Ray Johnson
Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, HSBC

Hervé P. Duteil
Chief Sustainability Officer, Americas, BNP Paribas

Florence Pourchet
Head of CIB Latin America, Head of CSR Americas, BNP Paribas

Championship Round Schedule

Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, 2021

  • 11:00 AM ET – Welcome & Opening Remarks: Nick Chapman, President, Virtual Enterprises International
  • 11:05 AM ET – Greetings From Our Partners: Intuit, BNP Paribas, HSBC
  • 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM ET – Roundtable Discussion on Sustainability: Moderator Helen Avery, Green Finance Institute
  • 11:45 AM ET – Introduction of Judges: Intuit, BNP Paribas, HSBC
  • 12:00 PM ET – Championship Round Presentations
  • 12:45 PM ET – Awards Ceremony

International Online Trade Show

Join us on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20 and 21, for two days of intensive online trading. Using video conferencing tools, firms will connect with other firms and industry professionals to buy and sell their products and services.

For US firms:
View this PDF document for registration instructions and important information. For step-by-step instructions for registration, see the Registration tab on the 2020-21 Online Trade Show Guide.

For International firms:
PE firms should have received an email from Susan Chan, National Events Manager, with registration instructions. If you did not receive an email or have any other questions, please contact Susan at schan@veinternational.org.

For Guest Shoppers:
For information about the event and how to participate, email Abril Peña, Engagement Coordinator, at apena@veinternational.org

Learning With Leaders (Alumni Event)

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Virtual Enterprises is teaming up with CoLabL to host a Learning with Leaders event on Tuesday, April 20 from 6:00-7:30pm ET. In addition to VE alumni, the event will engage career mentors from diverse industries, functions, and levels to assist alumni in expanding their professional networks and gathering career insights. CoLabL’s CEO, Daniel Horgan, will facilitate this interactive experience with a focus on creating career visions, setting clear goals, and practicing career success habits. Packed full of networking, storytelling, and resource sharing, you do not want to miss this event.

Visit the Alumni page to RSVP.

Alumni Page

Youth Business Summit Awards Ceremony: Livestreamed

YBS Awards Ceremony

Thursday, April 22, 2021
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

For more information about the event and the livestream, visit the YBS Awards Ceremony page linked above.

Guest Speaker

Mahmoud Khedr
Co-Founder and CEO, FloraMind

VE-JV Dream Job Panel Discussion: Livestreamed

VE-JV Dream Job Panel Discussion

The VE-JV Dream Job Panel Discussion is a career exploration event where VE-JV middle school students will hear from industry professionals who will share their expertise and professional journeys. Students will have the opportunity to engage with and learn from business professionals about the skills needed to develop successful careers. The event will take place on April 23, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST.

For more information about the event and the livestream, visit the VE-JV Dream Job Panel Discussion page linked above.

Contact Will Wilson, National Middle School Program Director, at wwilson@veinternational.org with any questions.

Stacy Caplow
Immigration Lawyer, Brooklyn Law School

Dylan W. Huang
Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Annuities, Investment Solutions, and Wealth Planning, New York Life

Quinn Kupec
Aerospace Engineer, A.I. Solutions Inc.

Natalie Lamarque
General Counsel, SVP, Office of the General Counsel, New York Life

Nolan Leung
Senior Software Engineer, Spotify

Heather Nesle
President of New York Life Foundation/ VP of Corporate Responsibility, New York Life

While the Youth Business Summit is always a special time for the VE community, this year’s event is especially meaningful because it marks VE’s 25th anniversary.

Over the twenty years that I led this organization as executive director, I have had the honor of working with so many talented and forward-thinking individuals and organizations not only to bring this program to life, but to expand its reach to so many young people. VE’s success over the past 25 years is a tribute to the dedication and support to all those who supported our journey—the business professionals who serve as volunteers, the corporations that provide financial and mentor support, and the school administrators and teachers who supervise the programs and prepare our students for success in the next phases of their lives.

Our accomplishments also stem from the visionary leadership of VE President, Nick Chapman and the countless contributions of the VE staff, our National Board of Directors and Advisory Councils. Each member of the VE team plays a vital role in our ability to build bright futures for young people, and I am eternally grateful for their commitment, time and belief in the power of VE.

While so much has changed since 1996, VE continues to transform young people into capable, resourceful and resilient leaders who will meet the challenges that lie ahead. At a time when the world of work is changing faster than ever, VE is connecting education and industry to build a dynamic talent pipeline of thought leaders who will be critical to our economic recovery and ongoing innovation. At VE, the future is now.

Please join us as we celebrate VE’s first 25 years and embark on another exciting chapter in our history.

Iris Blanc
Founder

May 2005 – 1st Place National Business Plan Competition Winners from Edward R. Murrow HS. These students went on to pursue career paths in the departments they chose while in VE.

#2021YBS Social Media Competition

Your Chance to Earn VE$50,000

Using #2021YBS, VE students will be posting on Instagram and Twitter with updates on their companies, showing how their teams are conducting business, offering special deals and promotions, and sharing their experiences as VE students. Ten teams will be voted for by the VE community as the winners of this contest, and will be receiving $50,000 in VE money and special recognition for their efforts and ingenuity. These VE firms must post regularly, and be impressive in the quality and content of their posts. Posting period ends April 30, 2021.

Here are some featured posts so far!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hobby Hoppers (@hobby.hoppersve)

 

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A post shared by Boxology (@boxology.ve)

Do you represent a school interested in VE? Start a VE program today and ensure your future graduates are ready for the future of work. You’re joining a program that’s transformed the lives of 175,000 students and will prepare hundreds of thousands more in the coming years.

2021 YBS Sponsors

Partners & Volunteers

Thank you to all of our partners, mentors, judges and panelists for making the Youth Business Summit possible!
For questions about volunteering, please email Abril Peña, Engagement Coordinator, at apena@veinternational.org.

View Thank You Page